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Chennai: A routine Sunday night flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi turned into an ordeal for passengers, including several Members of Parliament,
after their Air India aircraft was forced to divert to Chennai following technical concerns and bad weather.
‘Harrowing journey’, says Congress Leader
Senior Congress leader and Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, K C Venugopal, was among those on board flight AI2455. In a post on X, he described the experience as “frighteningly close to tragedy”, recounting how what began as a delayed departure escalated into turbulence, a mid-air fault warning, and a tense diversion.
According to Venugopal, about an hour into the journey, the captain announced a “flight signal fault” and rerouted the Airbus A320 to Chennai. Passengers reportedly spent nearly two hours circling the airport, awaiting clearance to land. During the first landing attempt, Venugopal claimed, “another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway”, prompting the pilot to pull up sharply.
"Air India flight AI 2455 from Trivandrum to Delhi -- carrying myself, several MPs and hundreds of passengers -- came frighteningly close to tragedy today."
"What began as a delayed departure turned into a harrowing journey. Shortly after take-off, we were hit by unprecedented turbulence. About an hour later, the Captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai."
"For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance to land, until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt -- another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway. In that split second, the Captain's quick decision to pull up saved every life on board. The flight landed safely on the second attempt," he said in the post.
"We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck. I urge @DGCAIndia and @MoCA_GoI to investigate this incident urgently, fix accountability, and ensure such lapses never happen again," the Congress leader wrote.
Air India flight AI 2455 from Trivandrum to Delhi - carrying myself, several MPs, and hundreds of passengers - came frighteningly close to tragedy today.
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 10, 2025
What began as a delayed departure turned into a harrowing journey. Shortly after take-off, we were hit by unprecedented…
Air India responds, says safety was never compromised
Air India, however, issued a clarification denying that another aircraft was on the runway. The airline said the diversion was precautionary due to a suspected technical issue and poor weather conditions, while the go-around during the first approach to Chennai was instructed by air traffic control — a standard safety manoeuvre.
“Our pilots are well-trained to handle such situations, and in this case, they followed standard procedures throughout the flight,” the airline said, adding that safety was its top priority.
The aircraft landed safely in Chennai at 10.35 pm, more than two hours after its departure from Thiruvananthapuram. Passengers were told the plane would undergo thorough checks, and alternative travel arrangements were being made.
The incident comes amid reports of other Air India flights facing technical snags in recent weeks, prompting renewed scrutiny of the carrier’s maintenance and operational standards. While no injuries were reported, passengers on AI2455 were left shaken by the sequence of events.
(With inputs from PTI)
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